The Intelligence Bureau has confirmed that the attacks that took place in Mumbai on Wednesday night were an act of terror and aimed at disrupting peace and causing panic among Mumbaikars.

The IB says that they have come to the conclusion due to two reasons. One is that the use of AK-47 rifles. IB sources told rediff.com that apart from security personnel only terrorists have access to AK-47s. They also add that the firing was indiscriminate and largely aimed at causing panic.

Another reason for the IB to say it was a terror attacks is due to the fact that the operation was synchronised. Any synchronised or serial attack amounts to a terror strike, IB sources maintained.

An IB official said that it is too early to come to any conclusion on the motive behind the attack.

The IB adds that this kind of attack (serial firing) is completely new. Smuggling bombs/explosives had become difficult especially since the heat on terror operations were stepped up. Hence the module, which carried out the attack thought of this new method, IB sources said.